15 Rohingya die, 40 missing

COX'S BAZAR, Feb 11: At least 15 Rohingya people died and 40 went missing on Tuesday as a trawler believed to carry more than 100 Malaysia-goers capsized near the Saint Martin's Island in the Bay of Bengal.
According to sources, the trawler capsized after hitting a large coral stone in the Bay around 6:00 am.
Station officer of the coast guard in St Martin's Lt Commander Nayeemul Haq confirmed that 15 Rohingya people aboard the trawler that sank died.
He told this correspondent that 73 other Rohingya people had been rescued from the sea until Tuesday evening and they underwent treatment later.
The dead bodies were recovered and kept on the Teknaf police station premises for post-mortem. The rescued Rohingya were also kept in police custody.
Sources said the death toll might increase as 40 others remained missing until Tuesday evening, Coast Guard officials said.
The rescue officials said the trawler was presumed to carry more than 100 people. It sank four nautical miles off the Saint Martin's Island in the early morning.
On information about the trawler capsize, Coast Guard members, divers, 22 speed boats, two Air Force helicopters and two naval ships started the rescue operations.
Divers pulled out the trawler from the sea.
When contacted, Lt Col Abdullah Ibne Zaid, Director of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that along with Coast Guard ship Mansoor Ali, Bangladesh Navy ships Durjoy and Korotoa and two helicopters joined in the rescue operations.
Rescued Rohingya told the police that they were going to Malaysia after fleeing from different Rohingya refugee camps at Ukhiya and Teknaf for jobs, paying hefty money to human traffickers.
Every year Rohingya try to go to Malaysia and Indonesia by sea with the help of traffickers and many of them die in the sea.
UNB adds: Lt Commander M Hamidul Islam, media officer of Coast Guard headquarters in Dhaka, said Rohingyas were taken to Noakhalipara from Mithapanir Chhara adjoining to the Marine Drive and Monakhali of Teknaf around 7pm on Monday by small boats for trafficking them to Malaysia.
Two trawlers were kept ready to send them to Malaysia, he said, adding that all of them were, however, accommodated aboard single trawler.
Meanwhile, International Organization for Migration (IOM) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were closely liaising with Bangladesh government's first responders to the trawler capsize, said an IOM statement.
"UNHCR and IOM are saddened by this tragic loss of life and, together with our other UN and NGO partners, are standing by to offer assistance to the government in responding to the needs of the survivors, be it food, shelter or medical aid," it said.
The statement also added that irregular boat movements are not new to Cox's Bazar district, as both Rohingyas and Bangladeshis risk the unsafe journey to travel abroad due to compelling circumstances.
"Recognising the dangers they face at sea, the UN has been working with the government authorities to raise awareness among refugees and local people on the risks they may face," it added.
The UN is also supporting the strengthening of law enforcement capacities to address smuggling and trafficking and to protect those most at risk, the statement said.

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